Retire With Confidence

A super health check

By late 2013, Gary Murphy from western Sydney knew he
wanted to retire soon. His wife Denise had finished working
a few years before, and Gary wanted to join her in
retirement as soon as possible – but he wasn’t sure if his
super would be able to go the distance.
Gary wanted to find someone who could help him organise
his super while he was still working, to make sure he was
getting the most of his investment.
When Shane Foster from Lifestyle Financial Services was
recommended to Gary, the Murphys decided to get in
touch to see what he had to say. They liked Shane’s
approach and felt that he understood their needs – and
he’s been their financial adviser ever since.
“Shane came to meet me and Denise at my office,” Gary
said. “It was a great meeting, and we felt comfortable with
Shane right away. He’s a really personable guy, very
friendly.”
Firstly, Shane reviewed the Murphys’ super to ensure it
was invested in a way that was suitable for their stage in
life. Following this investigation, Shane recommended that
Gary and Denise rebalance their investment portfolios to
better reflect their risk profile. Shane also helped the
Murphys set up allocated pensions from their super
accounts that would help them meet their financial needs
over the long term.
“I found Shane to be really proactive at structuring our
finances,” said Gary. “He knew how important it was for us
to be financially secure and for us to trust who our money
is invested with.”

denise and gary murphy holidaying in italy

Keeping an eye on things

Since Gary and Denise have been clients of Shane’s, he’s
kept an eye on the overall financial situation, not just their
super. For example, the Murphys recently decided to sell
two properties that they owned in Queensland, and they
plan to seek Shane’s advice on their options for investing
the sale proceeds. Gary and Denise are also confident that
Shane will make sure they get the right mix of growth and
security from any additional investments they make.
Gary commented: “I watch the market religiously and
sometimes call Shane about how things are going. I’m
always comfortable with his response, which reassures me
because I know he believes in our strategy. I also know
he’ll be in touch if we ever need to change our investment
mix or make things a bit more secure.”
Since Gary retired, he and Denise have enjoyed the
chance to travel overseas and spend more time with their
grandchildren. Thanks to Shane’s financial advice, they
have a better understanding of their investments and are
confident that their retirement income will be enough to last
them the rest of their lives.
“Shane’s main strength is his experience,” Gary said. “I’m
very happy with everything he’s done for us, and would
definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a financial
adviser.”